After Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday, her victims blasted her ‘very hollow apology’ and said she’s not taking responsibility for aiding pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Annie Farmer, 43, said the case demonstrated that it was “never too late for accountability,” and that the sentencing was a “big victory” for sexual abuse victims.
Farmer, on the other hand, took issue with Maxwell’s post-sentence statement, in which the British socialite described herself as a fellow ‘victim’ of Epstein and his sex trafficking ring of young girls, to which she contributed.
‘Her statement felt like a very hollow apology to me,’ Farmer told reporters. ‘She did not take responsibility for her crimes that she committed, and it felt like once more than she was trying to do something that benefitted her and not at all about the harm that she caused.’
Speaking after the sentencing, Sigrid McCawley, Farmer’s lawyer who represents several other Epstein and Maxwell victims, agreed that Maxwell’s statement ‘was not an apology.’
McCawley said, ‘She once again did not take responsibility for her crimes, so that was disappointing,’ but noted that Farmer and the other victims were happy with the sentencing.
Farmer said that she hopes the trial can help empower other victims of sexual abuse to come forward and seek their own justice.
‘It felt very powerful to finally have a chance to speak and have my voice on the record and say how her crimes impacted people and myself,’ Farmer said.
‘Maxwell and Epstein were predators that were able to use that power and privilege to harm countless individuals and for far too long, the institutions that were supposed to be helping the public, were instead helping them.’
Brad Edwards, a lawyer who has fought cases against Epstein for more than a decade, said that Maxwell and Epstein’s famous friends should finally come forward.
Asked if that included Bill Clinton, he said: ‘There’s a lot of people who have a lot of information, they know things, the time is now and if they’re continuing to not speak they’re hurting victims, they’re not helping.
‘There are a lot of people who have a lot of power and prestige and hide behind that and don’t come forward like normal good human beings. They are people that are cowards and I wish they would come forward and maybe [Bill Clinton’ that’s one of them.’
Edwards said that Maxwell’s statement was ‘probably the closest thing she’s come to acknowledgement in her life.’
‘But it was passive acknowledgement, she acknowledged somebody else’s pain but not that she caused it and obviously she was the perpetrator of the crime. To think she’s being charged for something Jeffrey Epstein did is arrogant in and of itself.
‘She was charged for the crimes she did.’
Sarah Ransome, one of Maxwell’s victims who testified in court, targeted Epstein as well as Maxwell’s powerful friends and enablers.
Speaking outside court accompanied by fellow victim Elizabeth Stein, Ransome said: ‘For the men that were involved in our sexual trafficking, the employees, the friends, the wealthy friends – you are the reason, you are as bad as Ghislaine’.
The prosecutor who sought a 30-year minimum sentence for Maxwell, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, agreed that the trial’s conclusion would encourage other victims to come forward.
‘Today’s sentence holds Ghislaine Maxwell accountable for perpetrating heinous crimes against children,’ Williams said. ‘This sentence sends a strong message that no one is above the law and it is never too late for justice.
‘We again express our gratitude to Epstein and Maxwell’s victims for their courage in coming forward, in testifying at trial, and in sharing their stories as part of today’s sentencing.’
Maxwell’s attorney, Bobbi Sternheim, told reporters that Maxwell plans on appealing the ruling, claiming the long-time Epstein associate has been vilified to the point where she could not receive a fair trial.
‘Our client Ghislaine Maxwell has been vilified, pilloried and left little room for her to be treated fairly,’ Sternheim said.
‘Even before she stropped forward into this courthouse, she was being tried and convicted in the court of public opinion,’ she added. ‘Ghislaine will appeal this case and we’re confident she will prevail on appeal.’
Maxwell’s family stated that they would support her throughout the appeals process.